OPTICS ENABLING ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS

The future of Advanced Diagnostics depends on the optical components that make life-changing medical devices possible.

Optical components from Edmund Optics® are used in countless applications to assist in the diagnosis of the brain, eye, and blood including detecting neuronal activity, genetic disorders, or hormone imbalances in the brain, to macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, or other retinal disorders in the eye, to tumor immunology, hematology, sperm sorting, or apoptosis in blood. These applications and technologies are as diverse as confocal and multi-photon microscopy, flow cytometry, cell sorting, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and other biomedical applications. EO offers complete product selection to build your own microscope or entire instrumentation sorting platform.

Blood | Optics Enabling Flow Cytometry

Blood is the fluid that keeps the human body functioning by delivering essential nutrients and oxygen to cells, while also removing excess nutrients and waste from those same cells. Blood consists of plasma, blood cells, water, proteins, ions, glucose, various hormones, and many other components. Proper maintenance and care is needed to ensure a healthy and long life. Optical systems such as flow cytometers, cell sorters, and optofluidics devices are used to quickly and accurately diagnose a variety of ailments. Laser based scanning flow systems consisting of lenses, filters, prisms, and other optical components can quickly detect abnormalities in red blood cells or white blood cells. Fluorescence based cell sorters also consist of similar optical components and can accurately detect CTCs in a patient, greatly improving their chances of survival.

FLOW CYTOMETRY A powerful technology that analyzes physical and chemical characteristics of particles in a fluid suspension. Qualitative and quantitative data is collected as the particles flow through a laser beam and forward and side scattered light is collected. FLOW CYTOMETRY

CELL SORTING Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) is a specific branch of flow cytometry that actively sorts a heterogeneous collection of cells into various containers a single cell at a time. This is done using general light scattering and fluorescence principles based off of each cell’s characteristics.CELL SORTING

OPTOFLUIDICS Technology that combines the field of microfluidics with optics. The primary applications include broad covering liquid displays, energy, and optical lenses, but the primary startup company drive is focusing on lab-on-chip devices, biosensors, and molecular imaging systems.OPTOFLUIDICS

HIGH THROUGHPUT SCREENING A powerful drug-discovery process used heavily in pharmaceuticals. Typically an automated procedure that allows for quicker development of novel drugs with less risk for human error.HIGH THROUGHPUT SCREENING

FLOW CYTOMETRY

A powerful technology that analyzes physical and chemical characteristics of particles in a fluid suspension. Qualitative and quantitative data is collected as the particles flow through a laser beam and forward and side scattered light is collected.

CELL SORTING

Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) is a specific branch of flow cytometry that actively sorts a heterogeneous collection of cells into various containers a single cell at a time. This is done using general light scattering and fluorescence principles based off of each cell’s characteristics.

OPTOFLUIDICS

Technology that combines the field of microfluidics with optics. The primary applications include broad covering liquid displays, energy, and optical lenses, but the primary startup company drive is focusing on lab-on-chip devices, biosensors, and molecular imaging systems.

HIGH THROUGHPUT SCREENING

A powerful drug-discovery process used heavily in pharmaceuticals. Typically an automated procedure that allows for quicker development of novel drugs with less risk for human error.

Brain Mapping Neuroscience technique intended to map and list out the specific quantities or properties of the brain in a spatial representation. In other terms, the anatomy and function of the brain, spine, and central nervous system through imaging techniques.Brain Mapping

Optogenetics Biological technique that involves the use of light to control cells in living tissue, specifically neurons in most cases that have been genetically modified with photoreceptors that react to different wavebands.Optogenetics

CLARITY Method of making brain tissue transparent using hydrogels. Accompanied with antibodies or biomarkers, highly detailed pictures of nucleic structure of the brain can be determined and studied.Clarity

GCaMPA genetically encoded calcium indicator used in brain imaging. GCAMP is similar to the fusion of green fluorescent protein (GFP), calmodulin, and a peptide sequence from myosin.GCaMP

GFP Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a specialized protein consisting of a specific group of amino acids that glows green when exposed to UV/Blue light. Extracted from marine life, the most common excitation wavelength is 395nm to 475nm with emission peaks from 509nm to 525nm. GFP is widely used in non-invasive fluorescence imaging systems to detect for tumor growth, apoptosis, and other cellular activity.GFP

Brain | Optics enabling optogenetics

The brain is the most important organ of the human body and controls nearly everything we do. Billions and billions of neurons are connected by synapses and communicate via long fibers known as axons and pulses called action potentials. Although the brain is well studied and documented, there are many unknowns around various diseases and genetic disorders affecting the brain. Recent advancements in optogenetics and fluorescent markers have pushed the boundaries of brain diagnostics. Researchers can now utilize techniques such as multiphoton microscopy, CLARITY, and GCaMP to accurately tag and analyze neuronal development or brain degeneration. These techniques use a variety of optical components including microscope objectives and fluorescence filters. In the near future, these developments will hopefully lead to a better understanding of debilitating ailments such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, improving the lifestyle of hundreds of thousands of patients.

Brain Mapping

Neuroscience technique intended to map and list out the specific quantities or properties of the brain in a spatial representation. In other terms, the anatomy and function of the brain, spine, and central nervous system through imaging techniques.

Optogenetics

Biological technique that involves the use of light to control cells in living tissue, specifically neurons in most cases that have been genetically modified with photoreceptors that react to different wavebands.

Clarity

Method of making brain tissue transparent using hydrogels. Accompanied with antibodies or biomarkers, highly detailed pictures of nucleic structure of the brain can be determined and studied.

GCaMP

A genetically encoded calcium indicator used in brain imaging. GCAMP is similar to the fusion of green fluorescent protein (GFP), calmodulin, and a peptide sequence from myosin.

GFP

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a specialized protein consisting of a specific group of amino acids that glows green when exposed to UV/Blue light. Extracted from marine life, the most common excitation wavelength is 395nm to 475nm with emission peaks from 509nm to 525nm. GFP is widely used in non-invasive fluorescence imaging systems to detect for tumor growth, apoptosis, and other cellular activity.

Eye | Optics enabling OCT

The eye is one of our most powerful organs and is being utilized more and more for non-invasive diagnostic purposes. Whether for diabetic retinopathy, blindness, underlying genetic disorders, or blunt trauma, the eye can tell us a great deal of information quickly and easily. Optical developments on research grade systems and portable point of care devices are attacking health problems from two ends and are making great strides in medical technology. As these methods and systems advance, the possibility of accurately diagnosing retinal diseases before they progress to untreatable states will increase. Advancements will also lead to targeting treatments more effectively and ultimately provide a better understanding of cellular progression and pathways of many incurable diseases.

Ophthalmology Branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, study, and diseases of the eye. The eye is one of the leading indicators for diagnosing a number of serious ailments. Due to the ease of access and high level of transmission, the eye has become the “gold standard” for non-invasive medical imaging through various platforms and technologies such as optical coherence tomography (OCT).Ophthalmology

OCT A powerful medical imaging technique utilizing light to capture high resolution, three-dimensional images from optical scatter in biological tissue. The principles are based off of simple interferometry with near infrared (NIR) light to effectively penetrate the biological medium. A trade-off exists between depth penetration and resolution, but OCT is often coupled with other technologies to ensure accuracy and multi-model images.OCT

BIOMETRICES/ PUPIL RECOGNITION Automated biometric identification using mathematical algorithms to identify and properly recognize an individual’s iris/pupil. This form of biometric recognition is very reliable, as a human’s eye pattern is completely unique, stable over long periods of time, and can be distinguished and recognized over a great distance.BIOMETRICS / PUPIL RECOGNITION

FUNDUS CAMERA Low power specialty microscope with a camera acting as a functional ophthalmoscope.FUNDUS CAMERA

Ophthalmology

Branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, study, and diseases of the eye. The eye is one of the leading indicators for diagnosing a number of serious ailments. Due to the ease of access and high level of transmission, the eye has become the “gold standard” for non-invasive medical imaging through various platforms and technologies such as optical coherence tomography (OCT).

OCT

A powerful medical imaging technique utilizing light to capture high resolution, three-dimensional images from optical scatter in biological tissue. The principles are based off of simple interferometry with near infrared (NIR) light to effectively penetrate the biological medium. A trade-off exists between depth penetration and resolution, but OCT is often coupled with other technologies to ensure accuracy and multi-model images.

BIOMETRICES/ PUPIL RECOGNITION

Automated biometric identification using mathematical algorithms to identify and properly recognize an individual’s iris/pupil. This form of biometric recognition is very reliable, as a human’s eye pattern is completely unique, stable over long periods of time, and can be distinguished and recognized over a great distance.

FUNDUS CAMERA

Low power specialty microscope with a camera acting as a functional ophthalmoscope.

Technical Experts at Your Service

Stephan Briggs is the lead Advanced Diagnostics expert at Edmund Optics®. Stephan works directly with customers and manufacturing to help determine the best technological approach for the quickest and least invasive diagnostic technique in critical organs and tissues such as the brain, eye, and blood. Through continually expanding biomedical optics such as optical filters, objectives designed by Edmund Optics® and industry-leading providers, and advanced coatings, he ensures that products are available both off-the-shelf and customizable to meet each customer’s specific requirements. Make sure you stop by our various trade shows to meet Stephan, or contact us today.

I want to help customers accelerate the development of non-invasive medical techniquesand systems that utilize light and advanced optics.